Southgate keen to keep Yak

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate insists Ayegbeni Yakubu remains part of his plans despite continued speculation over striker's future.

The Nigerian is being strongly linked with a £12million move to Manchester City, with former club Portsmouth also potential suitors, following reports the 24-year-old is unsettled on Teesside.

"Yakubu is still part of my plans, absolutely," said former England international Southgate. "He has been with us in Austria and worked very hard with everybody else."

Yakubu scored 16 goals for Boro last season, adding to his 19 from the previous campaign, but failed to strike after February and lost his place to Lee Dong-Gook for the final two games.

The player insisted he was happy at Boro when asked about his future last month, only to add that "anything is possible" if a big club was to make a major bid for his services.

But he has reported back for pre-season training - and ended his goal drought with a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin in Austria on Tuesday - and is Boro's main striking option despite the arrivals of Tuncay Sanli and Jeremie Aliadiere.

"I read the speculation the same as everybody else but we have had no contact from any other club," Southgate added.

"Whether people are trying to unsettle the player I don't know, but he seems very happy to be back with us having reported back from Nigeria and we are looking to him as being a big part of our team."